The present invention relates to the provision of media content, such as television services, over a communications network, such as the Internet. More specifically, the present invention relates to broadcasting/multicasting of media content over the Internet using shared bandwidth available from peer-to-peer networking.
Traditional broadcast television services are provided over dedicated broadcast channels that require large amounts of bandwidth and broadcasting resources. Traditional television networks also have channel count limits imposed by bandwidth availability of the transmission medium.
The present invention provides advantages over the existing broadcast television mediums, such as terrestrial, cable and satellite mediums. In particular, the present invention provides a global broadcasting television service which uses existing broadband resources to reach a global audience—potentially 170 million households and growing. The present invention enables anyone with an existing high-speed Internet connection to receive live digital broadcast-quality television programs anywhere in the world on an existing television or other suitable video appliance or display. The present invention provides a program-rich, feature-rich, and cost-effective alternative to traditional cable or satellite television services. Content management and encryption technology is also provided, so that all content provided via the present invention is traceable and protected.
Unlike traditional television networks, which are constrained by geographic boundaries, the television services provided by the present invention are accessible globally, and are limited only by the availability of a broadband network connection. Moreover, the present invention is capable of supporting an unlimited number of channels, which is not possible with conventional broadcast, satellite or cable television systems.
The present invention is also advantageous in that it uses the Internet, and does not require the construction of any new infrastructure. In addition, the present invention enables content providers to deliver their programs with low cost real-time servers and affordable (several megabits) Internet connections. Such capabilities result in a dramatically reduced carrying cost for the system as compared to traditional cable and satellite television systems.
In addition, unlike prior art IP-based video streaming technology which dedicates a certain amount of server resource and bandwidth for each viewer, the present invention enables a low cost server with limited bandwidth serving an unlimited number of viewers. With a set-top box in accordance with the present invention, viewers can view the television content on a television, in addition to viewing on a computer. In an illustrated embodiment, the set-top box provides an interface between an Internet connection and a television. The video quality provided using the teachings of the invention is equal to or better than that seen on typical digital cable television channels.
The methods, apparatus, and systems of the present invention provide the foregoing and other advantages.